Outsourcing and shared services

Sharpe Pritchard advises on a wide range of public sector outsourcing arrangements, whether to a commercial contractor or to a public sector company set up to provide shared services.

Our focus is on ensuring that our clients’ needs are met in a commercial and pragmatic way which fosters successful long-term relationships between parties.

We are on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) general legal advice panel, and regularly advise national and local public authorities on all aspects of public procurement, contract law, sale of goods and supply of services.

Our experienced solicitors advise on commercial strategies, negotiating positions, tactics and techniques. For in-house legal teams who are embarking on a major negotiated procurement we also provide training courses for their negotiating team. We pride ourselves on providing hands on practical advice and assistance.

Ever mindful of the need to minimise financial risk and any detriment to services the Sharpe Pritchard legal team has a reputation for finding innovative ways to package contracts, ensure quality control and leverage value for money over the long term.

Chambers UK quotes include "when we need a strong team for an important big-money project, we go to them."

Recent work

advising on a £200 million shared services project for Hertfordshire County Council, involving a service contract and a framework agreement for other public authorities in Hertfordshire to use;

advising Westminster City Council, Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham on the procurement of a pan-London framework contract, plus associated call-off contracts, for shared outsourced ICT services;

advising Southwark Council on its re-procurement of an outsourced IT managed services contract offering seven-figure savings whilst protecting frontline services and upgrading of all of the IT facilities;

Advising a London Borough on the outsourcing of a shared service with local CCGs for the provision of care homes for older people.

What others say

Sharpe Pritchard is a “strong public law boutique with an impressive volume of work from contracting authorities.”Chambers and Partners UK 2017.

The procurement law team has “particular expertise in education, housing, infrastructure, law and order and utilities.”Chambers and Partners UK 2017.

Sharpe Pritchard is “a go-to firm for a number of local authorities.”Chambers and Partners UK 2017.

"They are hugely passionate about the projects which they're engaged in, and they provide very well-balanced legal commercial advice."Chambers and Partners UK 2017.

Julia Rudin is a recognised practitioner in public procurement.Chambers and Partners UK 2017.